164 Elementary Principles of 



Such was the impression which I received, when I first turned 

 my attention to the Hebrew language ; and, under the conviction 

 that such was the fact, I endeavoured to analyze the composi- 

 tion of each root, and to find out the powers of the letters, so as 

 to reduce each root to its primary elements. In conducting this 

 analysis, I have depended solely on the results of repeated com- 

 parisons of each root with other roots, and I have succeeded in 

 resolving the fri-literals (or roots of three letters) into Z^i-literals, 

 (or roots of two letters), and in resolving the biliterals into single 

 letters. In other words, it has been found that each triliteral is 

 a derivative of a biliteral ; and that each biliteral may be traced 

 to a single letter, of which it is to be regarded as a derivative, 

 and upon the symbolical or ideal import of which its ideal, and, 

 consequently, its assigned import is dependent. By this pro- 

 cess, all these roots may be resolved into a few simple elements, 

 may be reduced to the expression of a few general or leading 

 ideas, the extensions, or ramifications, of which form the whole 

 imagery of this simple and original language. 



We proceed, then, to the consideration of the powers of the 

 letters. 



Letters, or characters traced on a surface, are to be regarded 

 as signs, either of things, or of sounds. As signs of things, 

 they are to be considered as exhibiting some representation of 

 the thing which they are intended to denote, and as addressing 

 themselves to the eye. But, as every letter has a certain sound 

 assigned to it, by which it is expressed by the organs of speech, 

 it becomes the sign also of that sound, and, as such, it addresses 

 itself to the ear. So that the sign of a thing is the sign of a 

 sound also, and it addresses itself both to the ear and to the eye. 



Now it is evident, that letters, or characters, regarded as the 

 signs of things, might be as numerous as the things which are 

 to be represented. The sounds, however, by which they can, 

 severally, be expressed by the organs of speech are few and 

 simple, and as these organs consist of the lips, the teeth^ the 

 tongue, the palate, and the fauces, or guttur, the vocal sounds, 

 as formed and modified by these organs, have been distinguished 

 as labial, dental, lingual, palatine, and guttural. So that these 

 five classes of sound embrace all the vocal sounds by which any 

 letters can be expressed. 



